GB2242016A

GB2242016A - Thermally insulating carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2242016A
Application number: GB9005845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Jan Corneliu Kouwenberg
Original assignee: CONNABRIDE PLASTICS
Current assignee: CONNABRIDE PLASTICS
Priority date: 1990-03-15
Filing date: 1990-03-15
Publication date: 1991-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-15
Also published as: US5165583A; AU642964B2; ZA911869B; GB9005845D0; AU7124991A; GB2242016B; CA2038000A1

Abstract

A thermally insulating drinks carrier is formed in two halves, an upper body portion 2 and a lower body portion 4. Each portion defines six cylindrical pockets 6 arranged in two rows and six columns. A pin (8) and recess 10 on each body portion enables the two portions to be located and locked together. A carrying strap 20 is threaded through bridging loops 14 on each portion to imprison the two body portions together. The bridging loops span channels or guide slots in the sides of the body portions to act as guides for the strap 20. Each free end of the strap is wrapped around a wedge and wedged under a respective loop 14. <IMAGE>

Description

1 -,;;>:2 q:2 c) X E, THERMALLY INSULATING CARRIERS The present invention

relates to thermally insulating carriers.

Thermally insulating carriers are used to keep hot food hot and cold food cold. It is often difficult to keep hot and cold food in the same carrier at the same time. Most carriers such as used for picnics, lunches, and other events are required to carry bottles or cans of drink. When such a can or bottle of drink is taken from a cold environment, any moisture in the air in the carrier will be caused to condense onto the surface of the can and so create a wet environment within the carrier. Depending upon the other food within the carrier or the wrapping used, such food may thereby be spoiled.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermally insulating carrier comprising a body portion into two parts, locating means -1 U -he two parts in a predetermined for locating 4V cooperating relationship, each. part defining at least i -- J. - one cyL -i-;-ica- rc-ke-", which pockets when the two parts are brough-., into the predetermined cooperating relationshi- cooperate to define an individual kj insulatinc enclosure for a cylindrical drinks can or bottle, and an e7- onEalve carrying strap having opposite end portions secured to one part of the body portion and an intermediate portion threaded through sections of the other part of the body portion, to imprison t.-.e t,,m;o parts o-f the body portions to each other.

Thermally insulating carriers embodying the present invention will now be described by way of example, witl- reference to the ac-Companying drawings in which.

Figure 1 is a persuec.',-ive view of one K1 466 Figure 2; 1-1-5 3 5 carrier when opened; Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower body portion of the carrier; Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of U Figure 5 is a side view of the portion of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-section to an enlarged scale showing a detail of the lower body portion of Figure 2; Figures 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a front e'levation, a plan view and side elevation of the carrier when closeA.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of another carrier; and 11 is a perspective view of yet P.L W - another carrier.

The thermally insulating carrier shown in 1 com.--.ses an upper body half 2 and a lower body half 4 w-hich are of similar configuration. Each body is made of plast-ics mat-erial which exhibits zood -.Insu'-av-;Lnz characteristics for example, expanded C- C> polystyrene.

The lower body half has six cylindrical pockets 6 arranged in two rows and three columns.

Each pocket, 6 has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a standard drinks can, but has a depth just. in excess of half the height of the standard size drinks can. The lower body half is symme-tical about- a common plane which intersects the body half midway between -'v-wo rows of pockets 6.

In the upper surface of the lower body half, and intersected by the common plane are a project-ion 8, U p K1 466 and a recess 10 sized to accommodate a projection of similar size to the projection 8. The projection 8 and recess 10 are spaced apart from one another and are arranged to matingly engage or be engaged by a recess and projection on the underside of the upper body half. Because the body halves 2 and 4 are similar and symmetrical about a common plane the projections 8 and recesses 10 can locate and lock the two body halves 2 and 4 together, so that each pocket 6 in one body half is aligned with a corresponding pocket 6 in the other half.

Opposing sides of the two body halves 2 and 4 are provided with a central, vertically extending, slot 12. EaCh slot 12 is bridged by a central transversely extending bridging strip 14. A common Strap 20 of webbinglike material is threaded along each slo-G 1,2 to pass under each bridging strip 14 and so link the uPper body half 2 to the lower body 4. Each free end of the strap 20 is folded around a respective wedge 24 (see Figure 6) and jammed or wedged under a corresponding bridging strip 14 in the lower body half 4. This thus locks each free end of the strau in the respective channel 14 in the lower body hallf. The upper body half 2 is held capative to the lower body ha7' 4 because the web 20 passes under the bridging s-lvr'LD 14 in respective channels of the upper body half. The strap 20 being of considerable length allows upper body half to have a fair amount of freedom of movement so that the upper body half can be moved from a position in which it is locked on top of the lower body half 4 (see Figures 7 and 9) to a position in which it lies to one side of the lower body half on the same surface on which the lower body half is resting.

The strap 20 acts not only to guide the K1466 2 5 upper body half into locking engagement with the lower body half but also as a carrying strap.

In operation each pair of cooperating pockets in the two body halves accommodates a respective drinks can. Because little or no space is left between the can and the pocket wall very little air can come into contact with the can and so condensation is kept to a minimum. Each can is completely surrounded by its own insulation and so its temperature will be held steady for longer. Where the carrier is required to hold some cans at room temperature and the other can at a colder or hotter temperature this can be done without a significant transfer of heat between the cans.

When the upper body ha7---.' is lifted off the lower body half, t.,ie lower body half acts as a stable tray for the cans. 'This is part-icularly useful in a moving environment such as on the seat of a car or in an outdoor situation where the level of the ground is uneven - e.= on a beach. W.-.en one can is being cc,-.sumed t-he of the re-maining cans will act as ballast to kee- -,-he tray steady and this wM reduce J t, U - -L the chance of the o-ce.n can from falling over once it is returned to the tray.

Where t-he carrier is required to carry contents other than cans each body half may be provided with a mixture of cylidrical and rectangular pockets. n the carrier shown in Figure 10 the two cylindrical pockets in the last column are replaced with a short rectangular pocket 30.

in the carrier shown in Fig-are 11 the three cylindrical poc".-.e-.s in the second row are reDlaced with an eLonga-.e rectangular poce.-.e-. 32.

It will be appreciated, that- other 1 1 K1466 adaptations are also possible.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 the carrier can be made as a disposable or throw-away carrier, for example in special promotion form for selling beer and other beverages in six packs for example.

1:; K1 466

Claims

1. A thermally insulating carrier comprising a body portion separable into two parts, locating means for locating the two parts in a predetermined cooperating relationship, each part defining at least one cylindrical pocket, which pockets when the two parts are brought into the predetermined cooperating relationship cooperate to define an individual insulating enclosure for a cylindrical drinks can or bottle, and an elongate carrying strap having opposite end portions secured to one part of the body port-ion and an intermediate portion threaded through sections of the ot-her part of the body portion, to 4LMDri.'-son the two parts o-f the body portions to each other.

2. A carrier according to Claim 1 wherein the two parts of the body portion have substantially the same shape and size.

3. A carrier according to Claim 1 or to Claim 2 wherein. sa-Ld locating means comprises a projection on one part- which coouerates with a recess on the other part.

A ca.-rier acc-ol-ding to any one of Claims 1 t he 0 3 wherein each said paru as parallel channels on opposite sides thereof, each channel being bridged by a bridging member under which said carrying strap is CD threaded.

5. A carrier according to Claim 4 including a wedge for each end por-'L-,-4on of the carrying strap to C - c trap the end portion when wrapped around the wedge below a respective bridging member of said one part of the body portion.

6. A carrier according to any preceding claim wherein each part has six poc'-.ce-'.-s which when the two parts are in said predetermined cooperat,Ing K1 466 0 relationship define six separate enclosures arranged in two rows and three columns.

7. A carrier according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein each said part defines a pocket of rectangular cross-section which when the two parts are in said predetermined cooperating relationship define an auxiliary rectangular enclosure.

8. A thermally insulating carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A thermally insulating carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A thermally insulating carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 at The Patent Office. Concept House. Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. FurLhereopich rnay be obtained frorn Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. CA-rnfeltnfach. Cross Keys. Newport. NP) 7HZ. printed by Multiplex technjques lid. St Mary Crav. Kent.